LINE lets you call, chat, and send photos to others for free, from your smartphone or computer, as well as follow companies and celebrities, and share updates with friends in a social network-style Timeline. 

High-quality calls

LINE is easy to set up, allowing you to register with your phone number or email address (the latter option only gives you access to text chat, though).

The voice and video call functions of LINE work very well and the sound quality is excellent. There is a slight delay in calls both via WiFi and 3G, though the quality is still better than both fring and Skype.

Text chatting in LINE is easy, with support for group chats of up to 100 people, and a good selection of emoticons to add to your conversations.

The user interface includes so many options that you can end up getting lost and unable to get back to the home screen or your past chats. This is especially true from Timeline. 
 

Now with artificial intelligence integration

OpenAI's ChatGPT API, the most popular and widely-used artificial intelligence-based chatbot, can now be enjoyed within the LINE app. Nicknamed AI Chat-kun, the integration allows its users to enjoy the full-fledged version of the chat service without having to leave the app. Users can send in almost any command—from writing 3000-word essays, asking for advice, creating a travel itinerary, crafting email templates, looking up recipes, and so much more.

While a majority of LINE users are Japanese, the ChatGPT feature is only available in English and optimized for PCs—thus, non-English speakers and mobile users might encounter a few difficulties using the integrated AI service.

More than just your average chat app

LINE is an interesting alternative to apps such as WhatsApp, Tango and Viber, as it allows you to make good quality video and audio calls on your phone for free while bringing in some extra features, such as time-limited messages and a whole host of linked apps. Overall, LINE offers you a lot of features in just one app while still working smoothly and being easy to use.